There are various kinds of known microwave apparatus having different structures and characteristics, operating by different processes and methods, yet having the common feature of using the heating effect induced in living tissue by microwave radiation to realize medical results. Therefore, they are used mainly in thermal treatment, hyperthermia and diathermy--for example, in the treatment of cancer.
In recent years, Chinese researchers have put forward some new ideas on the physical effects of microwave radiation on the human body. They believe that in addition to the thermal and nonthermal effects, there is a third effect produced during the microwave treatment of the human body, namely the regulating effect on the "jingluo" system or the channels-and-collaterals system of the human body. These ideas are based on the results of research work on the "jingluo" theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the mechanism of Qi Gong and Qi Gong therapy.
According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, there is a jingluo system inside the human body, coexisting with the other physiological systems, with anatomic structure like that of the circulatory system, nervous system, etc., which has not been proved by anatomy. A kind of "Qi", or vital energy, moving along the jingluo determines the conditions of human health. The jingluo are distributed throughout the human body in their own way, having specific positions, called the "acupoints" or "points", formed along them for acupuncture treatment. It is according to this theory that the acupuncture therapy selects different points to cure a wide variety of diseases and illnesses in medical and hygienic practice. Another practice related to the same theory is Qi Gong, a kind of deep breathing exercise. Having been trained at and taken up the exercise for a long time, a Qi Gong master can reach such a state that when he concentrates through the exercise, he can use his mind to control the movement of the vital energy along the jingluo through his body, and thus keep himself in good health. Some masters can even emit the vital energy through a certain point, called the "Fa Gong" or energy emitting point. Such a master can cure a patient by emitting the energy through this point, for example on his hand, to a selected point on the patient's body. This clinical practice of energy emitting therapy or Qi Gong therapy has long been practiced and widely acknowledged in China. Nevertheless, there are only a few Qi Gong masters who can reach such a state, and therefore the therapy cannot be applied widely.
Some researchers believe that there is some relationship between the jingluo system and the electromagnetic field of the human body. By studying the energy emitting phenomena with the help of modern instruments, researchers have detected at the energy emitting point the existence of wide band infrared radiation and low frequency subsonic waves, enhancement of magnetic field density, and concentration of the static electric field. The results of relevant tests performed by the present applicant were published in a report on page 16 of The Infrared Observer, No. 2/80.
In light of the aforesaid results, some researchers believe that the health of human beings may be improved by regulating the electromagnetic field of the human body through various methods of stimulating the points, such as acupuncture, energy emission, etc. Because microwave radiation can penetrate deep into the body and produce many kinds of physical effects, it is believed that the stimulation of the points by microwave radiation can achieve effects similar to that of acupuncture, moxibustion and Qi Gong therapy. As the biological electromagnetic field is characterized by continuous distribution and fluctuation, multifrequency composite microwave radiation should be used for point treatment, with concentrated microwave energy irradiating local surface areas of the human body, so that beneficial results of physical treatment similar to that of acupuncture and Qi Gong therapy not yet obtainable by prior microwave treatment can be obtained.
The present applicant previously developed an apparatus for microwave acupuncture treatment, published in an article on page 82 of January, 1982 issue of ACTA ELECTRONICA SINICA. The apparatus consists of an acupuncture antenna and a microwave generator. The said antenna includes an outer conductor which is a spiral-shaped wire and an inner conductor which is an acupuncture needle. The needle is inserted into a selected point during treatment and the spiral wire is kept contact with the skin around the point. The said inner and outer conductors are coupled with the human body directly while microwave radiation is emitted quantitatively and directionally to the point. Statistical analysis of the results of clinical practice have shown that this apparatus is more effective than traditional acupuncture therapy. It has been well accepted and has achieved commercial success, and it was awarded a gold medal at the fortieth Plovdiv International Technology Exhibition held in Bulgaria in 1984.
However, some patients do not like to receive the treatment because of the pain caused when the needle is inserted. This remains a difficult problem in traditional acupuncture therapy as well. Moreover, the fixing of the antenna during treatment makes some patients uneasy. In addition, there exists considerable leakage during operation from the spiral outer conductor of the microwave antenna. The difficulty encountered in matching the output impedance of the antenna with that of the human body further reduces the efficiency of the apparatus. Further, the output frequency range of the microwave generator is limited leading to fewer frequency components in the composite wave which is undesirable for achieving a multifrequency composite wave output, which is a requirement put forward by the original design. Finally, the design of the antenna described above limits the use of the apparatus to acupuncture treatment only.